Mavis House is a contemporary and minimal renovation designed by Altereco Design that transformed a post war brick house into an expansive family home situated in Yarraville. Photography by Jade Cantwell.

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A restrained materials palette reflects the architecture of the project, a meeting of classic and contemporary. A cooling and minimalist palette enriched with solid timber details and a dowel battened screening creates a welcoming series of spaces with a robust and practical seamlessness.

The fine handcrafted joinery elements in the living and kitchen, offer a light-filled breakfast bar that extends into a year round outdoor entertainment area, and a cosy living unit and fireplace offering a place of refuge.

The existing building fabric has been significantly enhanced with high-perfomance insulation, solar panels and double glazing throughout. The challenging site orientation (north facing the street) has been overcome by creating some separation between old and new. This has allowed for some very tall north facing windows, bringing in winter sun to passivley warm the polished concrete floor.

Ultimately the design celebrates family life and carefully considers the history of the site and its environmental impact on its surrounding contex